The Temple Between.pdf

The Temple Between
If the PCs come during the day, continue with
the following:
Several townsfolk move in and out of the curtain-housed
shrine, leaving written prayers on the altar and occasionally
glancing askance at a fellow who paces behind it. He is a tall
human, bald-headed with features sharp as an eagle’s, clad
all in somber black. He mutters to himself as he paces.
voice, she says, “I couldn’t help but overhear, and a lot of
us have asked him the same questions. We don’t trust him,
and we’re worried about Haelyn. Almost nobody comes
here after dark anymore, so if you want the chance to talk to
him in private, when he’s not so ‘busy,’ that’d be a good time
to come back. Maybe you can find out what’s going on.”
The PCs can take a casual look around the grounds
during the day, and Grovald doesn’t stop them. But
any attempt to look inside cottage C4A, or any thorough
searching (such as climbing inside the fountain)
brings threats of him calling the watch and having
the PCs charged with trespassing. (As long as they’re
at least a little bit subtle, he doesn’t appear to notice if
Insight Check
DC 16: It’s pretty clear from his body language that the
man doesn’t want to be here, though any time one of the
citizens utters a prayer to Erathis, he replies with a quick
“So may it be.”
If the PCs speak with him, he introduces himself as
Grovald. He answers any questions about Haelyn
with the same “spiritual retreat” story he gave Lavinya
(and no, he doesn’t know where she went or when
she’ll be back). If the PCs press him or try to talk
about any other issue, he insists that he’s busy praying
along with his faithful and returns to pacing. At
this point, he starts muttering more loudly, offering
prayers to Erathis. A DC 18 Insight check suggests
he’s lying about Haelyn.
Again, the PCs’ reputation as saviors of Overlook
comes to the rescue.
After the quick exchange with Grovald (and
before the PCs can contemplate doing something
foolish in front of witnesses), read the following:
One of the faithful, an older woman dressed in shabby but
well-mended shawl and dress, stands up from the altar and
turns her eyes on you. “I know you!” she calls out. “Thank
you so much for all you’ve done!”
As she approaches you, however, she glances once at
Grovald and her eyes narrow. In a much softer tone of
INTERROGATING GROVALD OR HIS SOLDIERS
Assuming the PCs ask the right questions or guide the most of his time at the temple, but that the high priest
conversation down the proper path, they learn the following
information.
doesn’t know.
frequently disappears for the night; to where, Grovald
From the Thugs or Doppelgangers: These are If pressed on the issue, Grovald confesses that he
simple hoods and members of the Lost Ones criminal is the priest of “the master of darkness.” (A DC 10
organization. Someone has been coming to the Lost Religion check reveals this to be an occasional title
Ones to hire out a lot of extra muscle. This particular for Zehir.) Grovald claims that his involvement here
group of thugs was hired by Grovald. They don’t know is purely mercenary—and this is the truth because he
who he works for, but they’ve seen him meeting with was paid for his assistance—but PCs who don’t believe
a dwarf on occasion. They don’t know who else has him might wind up chasing false clues for a bit, seeking
been hiring muscle, or if they’re tied into the same a Zehir connection..
conspiracy, but they know that they’re far from the
SPEAKING WITH HAELYN
only thugs to be hired as soldiers lately.
From Grovald: Grovald grudgingly admits that he If the PCs use Speak with Dead on Haelyn, there’s
killed Haelyn and buried her behind the fountain. He no need for a skill challenge; she’s happy to aid them.
claims he was ordered to do so by individuals who Alas, all she can tell them is that Grovald murdered
didn’t like her poking her nose in where it wasn’t her as she prayed in the shrine for guidance. She had
wanted. If pressed, he confesses that he’s ultimately recently noticed a change in the personalities of various
priests in the city, but was laughed off when she
working for someone named General Zithiruun. Grovald
doesn’t know what he’s a general of, and he doesn’t confronted them. (She admits, now, that it was foolish
of her to let on that she suspected them, but she’s
know what species, for the general wears a hooded
cloak, but he does wear a strange armor of iron joints been a trusting sort.) She was praying that Erathis
and leather harnesses. At the moment, though, Grovald
takes his orders from Durkik, high priest of “that entered and slew her with his magic. She asks the PCs
would send a sign of what to do next when Grovald
rock-headed idiot god.” He knows that Durkik spends to please thank Lavinya for her concern.
December 2008 |
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DUNGEON 161